Following Faith - Step 3 (The Embrace)

"These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them" - Hebrews 11:13

To embrace is to hold on and not let go.

It was what the Syrophenician woman in the Bible¹ did when she kept pressing Jesus for her daughter's deliverance in spite of insults. It was what blind Bartimaeus² did when he kept crying out to Jesus in spite of everyone telling he to pipe down.

There is an IF to receiving from God,

"for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." - Galatians 6:9b

When you see what you want and you become convinced you can have it, embrace it and don't take "No!" for an answer.

- fritz

^{1 - Mark 7:28
2 - Mark 10:46}

Where are they now?

"The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight ... he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way." - Mark 10:51-52

Many people, like blind Bartimaeus, were touched by Christ and followed - but where were they at the crucifixion?

Where are we when following Christ is not so popular? More than just being receivers, we need to be disciples?

- fritz

What to ask for?

"[B]lind Bartimaeus ... sat by the highway side begging ... he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me ... And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight." - Mark 10:46b-47,51a

Jesus made no assumption about what blind Bartimaeus wanted.

Why? Maybe Jesus saw other needs just as grievous as his blindness; we can only speculate. Fact is, in spite of his obvious need to us, Jesus waited until he identified what he wanted. Had Bartimaeus not asked he may not have received.

We, too, have what some would consider obvious needs, but like Bartimaeus, we need to ask.

- fritz

The Humblest Man

[T]here came one running, and kneeled to [Jesus], and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. - Mark 10:17b-18

The story is told of the town wanting to honor its humblest citizen.

They found just the man and presented him with a trophy, but they had to immediately take it away from him because he accepted it.

Jesus was not even guilty of the sin of self-righteousness.

- fritz